Perhaps one of the most convenient and most often used devices, particularly for use with farm and construction implements, is the hydraulic cylinder. However, when the hydraulic cylinder is used as an integral part of larger equipment structures to provide leverage for moving one member with respect to another, the location of the cylinder on the larger device is often solely dictated by the position of the hydraulic fluid connectors on the cylinder barrel and the orientation of the connector which attaches the interior end of the cylinder to the remaining structure. These fixed points, provide what are often disadvantageous limitations on the mounting position of the cylinder.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a hydraulic cylinder which permits variable adjustment of the hydraulic fluid connector line so that it may be adjusted to allow more leeway in the mounting positions of the cylinder on the implements of which they form a part.
Further, it would be desirable to provide a hydraulic cylinder which permits variable rotational adjustment of the inlet and outlet hydraulic connectors with respect to one another.
One of these connectors is usually on the bottom clevis and one is usually on the barrel, and therefore, it would be desirable to adjust the rotational positions of the barrel and bottom clevis with respect to one another.
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a hydraulic cylinder of improved versatility which permits variable adjustment of the bottom clevis and the cylinder barrel with respect to one another.
A further object is the provision of a device which permits the two hydraulic couplings to be rotated with respect to one another.
The manner of achieving each of the above mentioned objectives and advantages of the cylinder of this invention, as well as others, is accomplished by the hydraulic cylinder described below.